The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1887-01-28

"Oh, dear me! Yes Most GER
tainly."
You can give me her address?"
Elsie noted it down quickly upon a
slip of paper.
Before the end of that certainly event.
full day Miss Josephine was engaged as
daily governcss in the family of Uncle
Fred's sister, at the moderate salary of
two hundred dollars year.
,+s,~ 4
Some months have passed away since
then. Kind Uncle Fred, that he ever
is, has just appeared in the large, old
fashioned hall, and is assisting "Miss
Josephine" in putting on her cloak
previous to taking her departure for
home. He, and "Sister Polly" also,
IRE both made of good stuff, as folks
say and-Heaven bless them for i'll
only wish to make her feel at home with
And for this reason, therefore, it
seems that Uncle Fred not only, on this
special evening escorts her to the hall
ioor, but also a short distance on the
'oad towards home. AS he says, the
evening is so lovely, and the balmy,
outer air will do him good. She is tell
;ng him-why, she does not exactly
lnow-something about their troubles
1t home since ''dear father died. She
likes to talk of him even now, she
;ays-not to be forever silent about the
one whom they had lost, as is the fash
ion with so many people.
Uncle Fred quite understands her,
and agrees with her also; and vet,
strange. perhaps, somewhat, on his
part, he has never once referred, in
thus chatting with her, to the one
trouble that has served so sadly to shad-
ow his own life. No; he only listens to
her now, it seems.
''1n fact. you know" went on "Miss
Josephine" quite simply, ''he had not
a penny left in the house. 1t was too
dreadful, sir.'
She paused a moment; then went on,
in the least degree nervously:
"Shall tell you what did?" ~
eyes"
81 advertised, then, in the county
paper-don't be shocked, please. At
any rate, 1 did it for the best-whether
right or wrong, 1 don't quite know"
$50 on.'
II merely said, then, that a widow
and her daughters-all born to better
things, as it had seemed-were suddenly
thrown into the lowest depths of pov-
erty-and asked for help"
Uncle Fred gave sort of slight ncrv-
GUS start at this moment, but "Miss
Josephine" did not notice it. She was
thinking only at that instant of the ter
rible struggle which had urged her to
take such step as that which she was
now describing. .
"And the resultp" he asked, quietly.
"What was it?" ..~'.~
Ono answer came" she returned,
gravely, but earnestly. POSSIBLY
those who read the words did not
believe in their truth; or possibly some
did SO who were not in position to aid
u.s.
II see," and Uncle Fred spoke now,
as if dreamily. "There must leave
you, Miss Josephine. Very sorry for it
very sorry, indeed. Have just sud-
denly remembered something. You'll
excuse my running away thus abruptly;
won't you? Will be trife more court
eous next time. Horribly hard-hearted
of the people; wasn't it, Miss Jose
phine?" And thus talking glibly-as
if, too, he did not exactly know what he
was saying-Uncle Fred lifted his hat
and disappeared.
The following Thursday morning,
just as "Miss Josephine" was starting
for her usual daily occupation, a letter
was placed in her hand by the postman;
after reading which, that young lady
marched deliberately upstairs again,
removed her hat and cloak, chased
away with her pocket-handkerchief a
great many tears that for some reason
or other would insist upon pouring
4 L IL ~ -